Author: Nancy
Disclaimer: JAG doesn't belong to me etc. etc.
Classification: Harm/Mac Romance/ Humor
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: Tangled Webb
Summary: This is my take on those first moments after the fateful
airplane crash.
The smell of fuel and smoke brought Mac's hazed sense of alertness to focus…"Harm, Harm!"
She looked around and remembered they were somewhere in the jungles of Paraguay or maybe another South American country…Bolivia? Her abdomen felt tight but everything else moved with minimal discomfort. She realized her fake pregnancy suit had cushioned her during the crash and acted as an air bag. Slowly she used all of her marine might to wiggle her way out of the oppressive suit and out of the tight space that held her captive to check on her partner who had yet to respond.
Wild animals called out in the jungle and a light shower began to pour. She slowly climbed over the slippery crumpled fuselage of the wrecked biplane towards the man whom she had secretly declared her love for only not to him. With trembling hands, she moved a large banana leaf that blocked the view of his face.
He groaned and squinted his eyes, "Mac?"
"Oh thank god you're okay!" she sighed in relief as she stroked a trickle of blood from a small gash from his face.
"You okay?" he muttered back taking in their surroundings.
She watched him slowly pull himself out of his confined space and slide carefully to the ground next to the remains of the plane where he sat regaining his bearings. Their hair was becoming slick with the water that was falling from the rain that was pouring more steadily now.
She followed his lead and sat down next to him stretching out her stiff limbs and looking at her tattered filthy attire that stuck to her body due to the dampness. "Nice outfit Mac," Harm noted. "I see Webb sure knows how to show a girl a good time." The comment though meant to lighten the moment had a hint of sarcasm.
As usual, Harm had the knack for yanking Mac's chain in a way no one else could. After the past few stressful days she went off on him, "Yes, he did…if fact Clay said more nice things to me than most men have said in my entire lifetime. He gave me diamonds, treated me as not only an equal, but as a woman. He suffered an insurmountable personal pain to protect me!" Tears began to flow as she recalled the screams of his torture, and she turned away frustrated that she allowed Harm to get to her.
"Wait Mac, power down, I was just trying to lighten things up." Harm backpedaled feeling obviously guilty for allowing his own insecurities to upset her, but Mac shot him her crap detector look that stopped his excuses.
"Look, I'm sorry. I was out of line. I'm concerned about Webb too. I do know he's one of the most resilient guys I've ever known. Gunny will get him some help." Harm sounded truly remorseful.
Mac studied his dirty bruised face and saw lines of fatigue. He had been worried and apparently hadn't slept in a while. She decided to forgive him this time and relaxed a little.
"You're right. We need to focus on getting out of here. Where do you suppose we are?" Mac looked around at the jungle.
"We probably made it into Bolivia. There may be a map in the plane." Harm said without making an effort to go look for it.
"What's left of it…we sure as hell aren't flying out this time… clearing or not." Mac mumbled as she climbed back up and looked for the map.
"What was that supposed to mean?" Harm replied defensively.
Mac slid back down with the map in hand. Part of her enjoyed that she could ruffle his feathers as easily as he could hers, "Oh for someone who has two DFC's you sure seem to have a little problem with keeping one of these babies in the air." She patted the wrecked plane for affect.
Harm's face clouded, "As I recall, you were helping fly this 'baby' while I was dropping dynamite on a truck load of stinger missiles. Besides I didn't get you into this mess…Webb did."
"Excuses, excuses." Mac smiled sarcastically. "Oh and maybe Webb got me into this mess, but it seems everytime I go up in one of these 'babies' with you I find someone shooting at me. Let's see last time it was psychotic hillbillies with shot guns and this time crazed terrorists with bazookas."
There was a moment of silence as Mac waited for one of his trademark sarcastic come backs.
"You know you love it Marine." Harm said softly and smiled gently with one eyebrow up.
That totally threw Mac off guard, and she stood up feeling totally flustered. God that man just made her head spin and her heart pound.
"Well, this time I'm going to be in charge of getting us out of here!" Mac held the map close to her chest trying to push away the need to take him in her arms and...
"Lead on Marine. The Navy always knows when to hand it off to the Marines. There will be no argument from me." Harm nodded and smiled.
"Really?" Mac's face showed further amazement as she stared at her partner who still made no effort to stand, but remained seated his clothing totally saturated by the jungle rain waiting for her directions.
"Yep," Harm nodded, "The last time we had flew in 'one of these babies'." He patted the plane for emphasis. "You got shot in the leg, not stabbed by the way, and I had to carry you most of the way because you couldn't walk."
"So, you want me to carry you?" Mac rolled her eyes with her hands on her hips impatiently.
"You might, I think my ankle may be broken."
THE END…the two JAG officers are slowly walking through the jungle. The tall male is limping and leaning heavily on the trim attractive female…both are soaking wet and dirty…but oblivious to their surroundings.
"You are so damn manipulative Harm!"
"Me! I'm not the one who has every man confessing his undying love for me within ten minutes of meeting me."
"So you want men to confess their undying love for you?"
"I didn't say that Mac!"
"But you implied it."
"I did not"
"Did too."
"Not."
"Did."
"By the way did I tell you I got married while you were down here playing Clay's pregnant wife."
* NancyT's Stories * Please send Feedback! *
